Article of manufacture



Sept. 28, 1937. sH 2,094,434

ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE Filed Aug. 13, 1936 UUUUH 9 HUUUB IINVENTOR F'real S herrafF BY g Fits-.3 EARQE'Y .flashing around roof drains.

Patented Sept. 28, 1937 FATE"? egress ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE Fred Sherriff, Battle Creek, Mich., assignor to Sherriif-Goslin 00., Battle Creek, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application August 13, 1936, Serial No. 95,739

8 Claims. -(01. 182-31 The present invention relates broadly to drain mechanisms and more particularly to drains suitable for use on roofs.

In the past roof drains have been commonly constructed with a sump as a part thereof. United States Patent 1,601,498 to Hirshstein may be considered as showing a roof drain typical of that construction. The use of a sump box type drain has been found to give trouble in some 1 cases, as it forms a place for the accumulation of debris right at the down connection, which is undesirable as sometimes the down connections become clogged. It has also been found in practice that Water will sometimes freeze in sump boxes with resultant breakage and leaks. Rather common practice with drains of this and other types is to turn the roofing felt or membrane down on the slanting inner face of the sump box at its top and fasten same in place with a suitable collar or ring. This has been found to weaken the roofing at the point of bending so that leaks are liable to commence. at this point longbefore the roof as a whole needs recovering. It is also very common practice .to use metal or copper There are many types of construction involving the use of flashing, a typical form being shown in United States Patent No. 1,839,757 to Harrington; where the metal flashing is bent into a groove at the top of ,2. drain and then calked in place. The use of. metal flashing is undesirable from the roofers standpoint, since it not only takes extra labor toput the flashing in place with calking, leading, soldering, or the like, but this is work for a tinner 35, or a plumber and not the type of Work that roofers are normally equipped to handle. Other roof connections utilize not only a metal flashing, but Z-shaped flanges requiring routing in the top surface of the boards of the roof deck, as well as 407 the use of gland rings and packing. A typical construction of this form is shown in United States Patent 1,503,421 to Innes. To overcome the inherent difiiculties and undesirable features of the drains now in common use, the present in- 45 vention was devised and developed.

Accordingly, among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a drain of simplified construction.

Another object is to provide a roof drain 50 adapted to fit roofs of different thickness, as well as roofs having an upper surface that is not parallel to the lower.. I

Another object is to provide a construction eliminating the necessity of using metal flash- 55 ing with the resultant strains between same and the water-proofing material, thus obviating leading, soldering, calking, flashing clamping rings, et cetera in connection with the flashing.

Another object is to provide a construction which eliminates the necessity of using packing, 5 with or without a follower ring for compressing and holding same in place.

Another object is to provide a drain adaptable for use in connection with roofs which may beof wood, concrete, tile, steel, or other material. 10

A further object is to provide a drain wherein the plumbing can be completed before the roofing operation is started.

A further object is to provide a drain which not only clamps both sides of the roofing material, but extends over the roofing materialto press it tightly against the roof.

A further object is to provide a roof drain which has a larger than ordinary area in holding contact with the roofing.

A further object is the provision of a roof drain that has no sump box to clog, crack, or freeze.

A still further object isthe provision of a roof drain that obviates the necessity of slip joints, locking clamping devices and the like, and yet provides a water and gas tight connection. I

A still further, object is to provide a roof drain of such'construction that turns in the drain pipe may be made between the roof and the ceiling placed on the lower face of the roof joists so that the drain may be hidden from view. I

A still further object is the provision of a roof drain permitting the roofing to be assembled flat without sharp bends or turns.

A still further object is the provision of a roof drain wherein the strainer may be removed with-v out disturbing the assembly of the roof drain with the roofing.

A still further object is to provide a roof drain that is tighter, more durable, simpler, less expensive, and lighter than the conventional roof drains now in common use.

Further objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth in detail certain means for carrying out the invention, such disclosed means illustrating, however, but several of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a sectional view of an assembly of one form of the roof drain; Fig. 2 is a top view of the roof drain shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows one form of connection for the bottom of the roof drain shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 illustrates a modified form of the lower flange of the roof drain shown in Fig. 1.

The improved roof drain is constructed with upper and lower flanges and a strainen'all of which are assemblable so as to grip the roofing felt or membrane in flat position. The assembly preferably is held tightly together in leak-proof manner by means of studs. 7 a V Referring more particularly to the drawing: In Fig. 1 a conventional roof structure is shown where roof boards or the like I are fastened to roof joists 2 and 3 to form the conventional roof deck which may ultimately be provided with a ceiling 4. Before laying the roofing, the plumbers install the various drain pipes and down connections to the portions of the roof where the drains are to be installed. In laying the drain pipes, an opening 5 is cut in the roof boards I; at the point where the drain is to be placed and lower flange 6 with studs 1 and I2 mounted on the end of the drain pipe so that the upper face of the flange 6 is flush with the upper surface of the roof boards I. While the lower flange 6 may be of various shapes, I prefer to use a round flange since such can be purchased on the open market, is easy to construct and machine, and holes for same are easy to cut in the roof. Where a 4 inch drainpipe is used, a convenient diameter for the lower flange is 10 inch-es. The upper flange, in such case, is preferably 11 inches in diameter. With these sizes the lower flange will fit between ceiling joists set at 12 inch centers, and the upper flange will have two points of its edge over the ceiling joists, thus making a Very stable set up.

When the plumbers have completed their work and installed lower flanges 6 in suitable openings through the roof boards at the drainage points, the roof is in condition for the roofers to lay the roof and finish the assembly of the roof drain without further aid from the plumbers.

In laying the roof, the roofers first put a coat of water-proof material 8 such as tar, pitch, asphaltum, or other suitable material over the roof, including the upper face of the lower flange 6. If desired, a special cement or a mastic composition may be used on the upper face of the flange, though this is normally not necessary. The roofing felt or membrane 9 is then laid over the roof boards I as though there were no roof drains present. However, the roofing felt is pressed down at the flange 6 so that the studs are forced therethrough and the excess felt that turns up around the studs is trimmed away to form a smooth but relatively tight fit around same. Another coat of pitch or other fluid water-proofing material is then placed on the upper face of the roofing felt 9 and another ply of roofing felt laid in place as before, with studs pressed therethrough, and then further plies laid in similar manner until the desired thickness of roof is obtained. A coat of pitch or other liquid waterproofing material is then placed on the top layer of the roofing felt at the drain, and the upper flange I set in place. If desired, a special cement or a mastic composition may be used to join the under face of the upper flange to the roofing felt, though this is normally not necessaryk Nuts ll, preferably made from rust-proof material such as brass, are then turned down on studs l2, which also may be made of rust-proof material, to clamp the roofing felt and interposed pitch or the like into a water-tight unit at the drain. While the openings in lower flange 6 for the reception of studs 1 and I2 may be drilled completely through the flange and then tapped, it is normally preferable to stop the holes before they go completely through the flange, since this eliminates one possible source of leakage. With the flanges 6 and I0 thus assembled, the next ,step is to cut out and remove the roofing felt that closes the passageway through the sub stantially central openings in the two flanges. Strainer I3 is then mounted over studs I, preferably ru st-proof, and nuts I 3, also preferably rustproof, drawn down to form a tight assembly. While the upper flange Ill may be of various shapes, the same diameter as lower flange 6, or even smaller, I prefer to make it of a larger area than lower flange 6 so that it will project over the edge of roof boards I or the like which surround the opening 5 and preferably at the same time completely cover the lower flange 6. Ordinarily the same peripheral shape flanges are used, and these normally are round discs made from structural metal such as cast iron, steel, copper, brass, aluminum, or the like. The construction with a larger upper flange provides a greater bearing area, a more stable drain, and one which better withstands the elements without leaking. The upper flange If and lower flange 6 may be constructed with smooth surfaces on their adjacent faces. However, I prefer to place one or more low annular ribs I5 and I6 respectively on the faces of the upper and lower flanges. Normally one-sixteenth inch ribs satisfy most purposes, though other sizes may be used. If desired, a corresponding groove 23 may be placed on the adjacent face of the opposite flange to form a tighter joint when pressure is applied by tightening the nuts. Under the pressure exerted by tightening down nuts II and I4, the annular ribs I5 and I6 are forced into the adjoining faces of the roofing felt so as to make a jointexceptionally resistant to leakage.

Where the roof is to be finally coated with pitch or an asphaltic material and then covered with gravel or slag, it is desirable to provide a' gravel stop I! at the outer edge of upper flange Ill. This gravel step may be in the form of a separate or detachable ring. However, I prefer to incorporate it as a part of the outer edge of the upper flange H1. The gravel stop I! is normally provided with notches I8 on its upper edge to permit the flow of water therethrough, while the projecting edge holds back the gravel. It also projects above the upper face of upper flange I9 preferably to such a height that when the roof has been coated and graveled, the upper edge of gravel stop I! will be approximately on the level with the top of the gravel or slightly higher.

If it is desired to install roof drains so as to be hidden above the ceiling 4, it is only necessary to screw a short nipple I9 into the lower flange B, and if threaded steel pipe is to be used for the drains, then such pipe and an elbow can be joined to the nipple l9. On the other hand, if. soil pipe is to be used in the place of steel pipe, then a soil pipe elbow 20 is joined to the lower end of nipple I9 by conventional means such as a packing of oakum 2| and lead 22. The lower end of elbow 20 is joined to the drainpipe in con-' ventional manner.

While an internally threaded lower flange 6 may be used in all cases by screwing a suitable length nipple or pipe thereinto, in some cases it may be desired to cast the lower flange with a depending pipe as a part thereof such as is shown in Fig. 4. Studs 1 and I2 are used in the upper face of this flange 6a the same as in flange 6. When once the flange Bais mounted in place, the laying of roofing over same is identical with that described in connection with lower flange 6.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of those explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:--

1. In a drain device of the character described, the combination of a lower flange and an upper flange, the lower flange being adapted to be placed with its upper edge approximately flush with the upper face of the surface to be drained, the upper flange being of greater area than the lower, and a threaded means for joining said upper and lower flanges which are provided with suitable coinciding openings for the reception of said threaded means.

2. A roof drain which comprises a lower flange adapted to loosely fit a straight cut opening through the roof deck to be drained while the upper edge of, said flange lies approximately flush with the upper surface of said roof deck, studs mounted in the upper face of said lower flange, an upper flange of larger diameter than the lower flange and having openings therethrough for the reception of the studs fastened to the lower flange, and a gravel stop means.

3. In a roof drain which comprises a lower flange adapted to loosely fit a straight cut opening through the roof deck to be drained while the upper edge of said flange lies approximately flush with the upper surface of said roof. deck, studs mounted in the upper face of said lower flange, an upper flange of larger diameter than the lower flange and having openings therethrough for the reception of the studs fastened to the lower flange, said upper and lower flanges each being provided with a drainage passageway therethrough, a strainer, and a gravel stop means.

4. A roof drain which comprises a lower flange, at least four studs joined to the upper face thereof, an upper flange of larger diameter than the lower flange and having openings adapted to receive said studs, a strainer adapted to be mounted over said upper flange and engage with two of the studs passing therethrough, and means including said studs for tightly joining the assembly together,

5. In a roof drain the combination of upper and lower flanges adapted to grip in substantially flat relation the roofing membrane therebetween, said lower flange being so constructed as to eliminate the necessity of routing the upper surface of the roof deck and yet adapted to have its upper face lie flush with the upper surface of said roof deck, and the upper flange being of a larger diameter than the lower flange so as to provide a bearing to press the roof membrane against the roof deck around the opening in which the lower flange is fitted.

6. As a newarticle of manufacture, a drain comprising upper and lower flanges, the upper and lower flanges having a substantially centrally located opening through each for drainage purposes, a threaded means forjoining said upper and lower flanges together, said upper and lower flanges being provided with suitable coinciding openings therein for cooperation with said threaded means for fastening same together, a gravel stop, a strainer, and means on the edge of said strainer in contact with said upper flange and adapted to engage with suitable means for fastening same in place.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a roof drain comprising substantially non-inclined face upper and lower flanges, the upper and lower flanges having a substantially centrally located opening for drainage purposes, the upper flange being of. a larger area than the lower flange and com,- pletely covering same in manner such that the roofing membrane is not only gripped between the upper and lower flanges, but the overhanging portion of the upper flange holds the roofing membrane against the roof deck covered by said membrane, means incorporated in the adjacent faces of said flanges for minimizing leakage when assembled in place on a roof with the roofing membrane between said flanges and in contact with said leakage minimizing means, a gravel stop on the edge of the upper flange, a strainer, and stud means in contact with the flanges for fastening the flanges and strainer together.

8. As a new article of manufacture a roof drain which consists of. substantially non-inclined face upper and lower flanges, the upper and lower flanges having a substantially centrally located opening for drainage purposes, the upper flange being of a larger area than the lower flange and completely covering same, means including low annular rings on one and coinciding annular grooves on the other of the adjacent faces of each of said flanges for minimizing leakage when assembled in place on the roof with the roofing membrane therebetween, a gravel stop on the outer edge of the upper flange, a strainer, means on the edge of said strainer in contact with said upper flange for cooperation with studs, and stud means with brass nuts for fastening the flanges and strainer together.

FRED SHERRIFF. 

